Moot Court

What is Moot Court?

Moot court is the simulation of appellate argument. Two-person legal teams compete in front of a panel of judges. Students argue a hypothetical legal case known as “the competition case.” To do so, students must research the cases and laws cited in “the competition case.” Moot court judges ask students questions and grade the students on the basis of their knowledge of the case, their response to questioning, their forensic skills, and their demeanor. Oral argument lasts 40 minutes (each side gets 20 minutes) and each student is expected to speak for a minimum of 7 minutes. If you are interested in an in-depth history of moot court at CSULB check out this history.

Why Participate in Moot Court?

It is fun and rewarding. It is challenging. It is good experience for law school and a legal career. It will teach you how to think, speak, and write in a clearer and more precise manner. You will learn valuable research skills. You will improve your logical and critical thinking skills. You will meet and network with a variety of important people in the legal, academic, and political community. Read What Former Moot Court Students Say About Moot Court

How Do I Join?

Moot Court is NOT a club. It is a class: POSC 417. You apply to be admitted. POSC 417 is a demanding and rigorous course. Students should anticipate a challenging but exciting and extremely worthwhile experience. Students should be serious, reliable, responsible, and professional.

Fall 2025 recruitment is underway. Please check back for the dates, times, and locations.

Enrollment in this course is by instructor permission only and applicants need to apply for acceptance. Applications for Fall 2025 can be found here:

Word Version: moot_court_application_form_for_fall_2025

PDF Version: moot_court_application_form_for_fall_2025

Please email Professor Ringel at lewis.ringel@csulb.edu or lewisringel@verizon.net

Who Coaches CSULB Moot Court?

You will be coached by several individuals. Most are former undergraduate mooters, many, for CSULB, and many are attorneys. Some will be on campus and some over Zoom. Here are a few of the assistant coaches whose instruction you can expect to receive and from which you will benefit:

Lewis S. Ringel was born in New York and raised in New Jersey. He attended Trenton State College (now the College of New Jersey) and earned his Ph.D from the University of Maryland at College Park. He has been the Moot Court Director at CSULB since 2006. Professor Ringel serves on the Executive Board of the American Collegiate Moot Association (AMCA). In that capacity he chairs the Case Committee and the Alumni Case Development Committee. He also serves on the Rules, Judge Recruitment, and the Executive Committees. From 2006 to 2014 Professor Ringel was the Director of the Western Regional Moot Court Tournament. Professor Ringel founded and has hosted the California Classic Moot Court Tournament and has hosted several fall invitationals and classics. Before coming to CSULB, Professor Ringel ran moot court simulations at the United States Naval Academy and Louisiana State University. To date, Professor Ringel’s teams have won fifteen regional titles for oral advocacy (most among active coaches) and have advanced to seven national quarter-finals -- reaching the semi-finals three times, and the national finals twice (also most among active coaches). In 2021-22, CSULB won the AMCA national championship for oral advocacy. In addition, his teams have won two national championships for written brief and been the runners-up for national written brief twice. Professor Ringel is the Winner of the 2018-19 John and Phyllis Jung Faculty Award. Professor Ringel is married with two children and has two dogs.

Assistant Coaches
Patrick Dyson Mr. Patrick D. Dyson is a Maryland licensed attorney with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (DHS) in Long Beach, California. Mr. Dyson earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa and his Juris Doctorate from Howard University School of Law in Washington D.C. While attending Howard University, he was a member and officer of the law school’s National Moot Court team. Mr. Dyson has judged numerous undergraduate and law school moot court and trial advocacy competitions. Mr. Dyson is a JAG in the U.S. Air Force Reserves and a member of the City of Long Beach Youth and Gang Violence Preventive Task Force. Mr. Dyson has been an assistant coach with CSULB since 2008. Mr. Dyson loves criminal law cases – especially those with a border or search component.
Judy Hails Professor Judy Hails is the former Chair of the Department of Criminal Justice at CSULB. Her research has traditionally focused on the policy analysis implications of U.S. Supreme Court decisions on American criminal procedure and on the law of criminal evidence. Professor Hails is the author of five textbooks on criminal evidence, criminal law, and criminal procedure and has contributed to several anthologies and has published in numerous journal articles. She received the Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award in 1998. Professor Hails is a former sergeant with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. She has a master’s degree in criminology from CSU-Long Beach, a J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law, and a LL.M. in criminal justice from New York University School of Law. Professor Hails has been an assistant coach for CSULB since the fall of 2009. She loves all cases – especially those involving criminal justice.
Kelsey Stapler Morris Kelsey Stapler Morris is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. She graduated summa cum laude from Patrick Henry College with a B.A. in Public Policy in 2008. At PHC, she competed in moot court for three years, reaching the national ACMA Tournament twice and advancing to the Elite Eight in her final year. As a junior, her team also reached the semi-finals of the Western Regional Qualifying Tournament held at CSULB. Ms. Morris graduated cum laude from Pepperdine University School of Law in 2011, earning Order of the Coif and Order of the Barristers. While at Pepperdine, Ms. Morris was an associate editor of the law review and competed on Pepperdine's mock trial and moot court teams, winning the 2010 Western Regional National Law School Moot Court Competition and Pepperdine’s 2009 Armand Arabian Moot Court Tournament. After graduation, Ms. Morris joined the law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer and Feld as an associate in commercial litigation, where she practiced for nearly four years. In 2015, Ms. Morris begins a term as a law clerk to a federal district judge for the United States District Court, Central District of California. Ms. Morris has served as a Justice at several Western Regional Tournaments and as a Justice at the ACMA National Tournament. She has been an assistant coach for CSULB since 2008. Ms. Morris loves working with CSULB mooters and looks forward to continuing her involvement in the years ahead.
Alex Lohman Alex Lohman is an assistant coach with the California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) Moot Court program. She is a lecturer of Constitutional Law at CSULB, and serves as the Associate Director for the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination at UC San Diego. With her partner Tim Appelbaum, Alex advanced to the sweet sixteen in the national AMCA tournament in 2011, and placed in the top ten for the written brief competition. She also placed fourth overall in the national orator competition. After her time at The Beach, Alex attended Northwestern Pritzker University School of Law, where she was a competitor and coach for its moot court program, the director of Chicago Youth Programs, and the managing editor of Northwestern Law’s Journal of Law and Social Change. Prior to making the switch to higher education, Alex was an attorney for youth in foster care where she successfully litigated trials and argued appeals in various jurisdictions. Alex has dedicated her legal practice to serving others and is extremely passionate about inspiring the next generation of public interest lawyers to serve our community and those in need. While working with CSULB mooters, Alex enjoys teaching others about legal research, legal writing, and how to apply those skills to oral advocacy. Alex’s favorite cases include those that involve the Interstate Commerce Clause.
Claire Cahill Claire Cahill is an associate with a litigation law firm in Washington D.C. She graduated from Georgetown University Law Center summa cum laude in 2019 and spent the following three years clerking on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. While attending Georgetown Law, Claire was the Senior Online Editor for the Georgetown Law Journal and a member of the Barristers’ Council Moot Court team. She received a B.A. in Government from Patrick Henry College, where she also competed in moot court. Claire was an ACMA regional champion and reached the national ACMA tournament three times, finishing as a national semi-finalist and national runner-up in her final two years. Next year, she will be clerking with Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Kevin Poush Kevin Poush is a CSULB alum and former member of the moot court team. As a mooter, he won multiple regional championships without losing a single round, won several speaker awards, and finished in the sweet 16 at Nationals. After CSULB, he attended Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles. At Southwestern, he graduated from its accelerated 2-year law school program called SCALE, excelled as a member of the school’s Trial Advocacy Honors Program, and externed with the Downtown Los Angeles District Attorney’s office in its Major Narcotics division and with Compton’s Victim Impact Program. Following law school and passing the California State Bar, he worked as a civil defense trial attorney at Ford, Walker, Haggerty and Behar, and currently works as a civil trial attorney with Westford Law Group where he defends the interests of several companies as outside general counsel, and advocates for plaintiffs in personal injury cases. Kevin has been an assistant moot court coach since from the time he graduated law school. He appreciates a good roadmap and a good clear rule request.
John A. Hugie John A. Hugie is a Tennessee licensed attorney who practices in Juvenile Dependency & Neglect and Juvenile and Adult Criminal Defense. John earned his undergraduate degree from Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Notre Dame Law School in Indiana. He competed in undergraduate Moot Court with the American Moot Court Association and was a national semi-finalist and top orator. For Notre Dame Law, John competed in both moot court and mock trial competitions, and was a multi-year member of the senior trial advocacy team. He also was a student advocate at the Notre Dame Legal Aid Clinic and a research assistant in New York State legal history. John has served as a Guardian ad Litem for Juveniles in the Foster System as well as being a member of the Foster Care Review Board. He has been an assistant coach with CSULB since 2020. John's favorite cases include those that involve Free Speech, Religious Liberty, and First Amendment issues.
Ryan Chapman Ryan Chapman, a native of Long Beach, is an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) and former CSULB mooter. He graduated magna cum laude from Pepperdine University School of Law in May 2017, and was inducted into the Order of the Coif and Order of the Barristers. During his moot court career at CSULB, Ryan and his teammate Yasmin Manners advanced to two national sweet sixteens, finished second in the nation in written brief, and won the TUMCA Moot Court Tournament. In 2013, Ryan was named the 9th best oral advocate in the nation. While in law school, Ryan gained extensive writing experience as a member of the Interschool Moot Court Team, as Lead Articles Editor of the Pepperdine Law Review, as Teaching Assistant for Legal Research and Writing, and as a member of Pepperdine's Ninth Circuit Appellate Advocacy Clinic. During his experience with the Clinic, Ryan successfully briefed and argued a pro bono appeal. Before becoming an AUSA, Ryan clerked for the Honorable Ferdinand Fernandez of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and he held a prestigious two-year fellowship at the nation's largest appellate litigation firm Horvitz & Levy LLP. Ryan Chapman loves to write and help others with their writing skills. While Ryan, by AMCA rules, can offer no direct comments on your briefs, he serves as CSULB’s Written Brief Coach and will provide general advice and guidance during the term.

Assistant Coaches

Patrick Dyson

Mr. Patrick D. Dyson is a Maryland licensed attorney with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (DHS) in Long Beach, California. Mr. Dyson earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa and his Juris Doctorate from Howard University School of Law in Washington D.C. While attending Howard University, he was a member and officer of the law school’s National Moot Court team. Mr. Dyson has judged numerous undergraduate and law school moot court and trial advocacy competitions. Mr. Dyson is a JAG in the U.S. Air Force Reserves and a member of the City of Long Beach Youth and Gang Violence Preventive Task Force. Mr. Dyson has been an assistant coach with CSULB since 2008. Mr. Dyson loves criminal law cases – especially those with a border or search component.

Judy Hails

Professor Judy Hails is the former Chair of the Department of Criminal Justice at CSULB. Her research has traditionally focused on the policy analysis implications of U.S. Supreme Court decisions on American criminal procedure and on the law of criminal evidence. Professor Hails is the author of five textbooks on criminal evidence, criminal law, and criminal procedure and has contributed to several anthologies and has published in numerous journal articles. She received the Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award in 1998. Professor Hails is a former sergeant with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. She has a master’s degree in criminology from CSU-Long Beach, a J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law, and a LL.M. in criminal justice from New York University School of Law. Professor Hails has been an assistant coach for CSULB since the fall of 2009. She loves all cases – especially those involving criminal justice.

Kelsey Stapler Morris

Kelsey Stapler Morris is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. She graduated summa cum laude from Patrick Henry College with a B.A. in Public Policy in 2008. At PHC, she competed in moot court for three years, reaching the national ACMA Tournament twice and advancing to the Elite Eight in her final year. As a junior, her team also reached the semi-finals of the Western Regional Qualifying Tournament held at CSULB. Ms. Morris graduated cum laude from Pepperdine University School of Law in 2011, earning Order of the Coif and Order of the Barristers. While at Pepperdine, Ms. Morris was an associate editor of the law review and competed on Pepperdine's mock trial and moot court teams, winning the 2010 Western Regional National Law School Moot Court Competition and Pepperdine’s 2009 Armand Arabian Moot Court Tournament. After graduation, Ms. Morris joined the law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer and Feld as an associate in commercial litigation, where she practiced for nearly four years. In 2015, Ms. Morris begins a term as a law clerk to a federal district judge for the United States District Court, Central District of California. Ms. Morris has served as a Justice at several Western Regional Tournaments and as a Justice at the ACMA National Tournament. She has been an assistant coach for CSULB since 2008. Ms. Morris loves working with CSULB mooters and looks forward to continuing her involvement in the years ahead.

Alex Lohman

Alex Lohman is an assistant coach with the California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) Moot Court program. She is a lecturer of Constitutional Law at CSULB, and serves as the Associate Director for the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination at UC San Diego.
With her partner Tim Appelbaum, Alex advanced to the sweet sixteen in the national AMCA tournament in 2011, and placed in the top ten for the written brief competition. She also placed fourth overall in the national orator competition. After her time at The Beach, Alex attended Northwestern Pritzker University School of Law, where she was a competitor and coach for its moot court program, the director of Chicago Youth Programs, and the managing editor of Northwestern Law’s Journal of Law and Social Change.
Prior to making the switch to higher education, Alex was an attorney for youth in foster care where she successfully litigated trials and argued appeals in various jurisdictions. Alex has dedicated her legal practice to serving others and is extremely passionate about inspiring the next generation of public interest lawyers to serve our community and those in need. While working with CSULB mooters, Alex enjoys teaching others about legal research, legal writing, and how to apply those skills to oral advocacy. Alex’s favorite cases include those that involve the Interstate Commerce Clause.

Claire Cahill

Claire Cahill is an associate with a litigation law firm in Washington D.C. She graduated from Georgetown University Law Center summa cum laude in 2019 and spent the following three years clerking on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. While attending Georgetown Law, Claire was the Senior Online Editor for the Georgetown Law Journal and a member of the Barristers’ Council Moot Court team. She received a B.A. in Government from Patrick Henry College, where she also competed in moot court. Claire was an ACMA regional champion and reached the national ACMA tournament three times, finishing as a national semi-finalist and national runner-up in her final two years. Next year, she will be clerking with Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Kevin Poush

Kevin Poush is a CSULB alum and former member of the moot court team. As a mooter, he won multiple regional championships without losing a single round, won several speaker awards, and finished in the sweet 16 at Nationals. After CSULB, he attended Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles. At Southwestern, he graduated from its accelerated 2-year law school program called SCALE, excelled as a member of the school’s Trial Advocacy Honors Program, and externed with the Downtown Los Angeles District Attorney’s office in its Major Narcotics division and with Compton’s Victim Impact Program. Following law school and passing the California State Bar, he worked as a civil defense trial attorney at Ford, Walker, Haggerty and Behar, and currently works as a civil trial attorney with Westford Law Group where he defends the interests of several companies as outside general counsel, and advocates for plaintiffs in personal injury cases. Kevin has been an assistant moot court coach since from the time he graduated law school. He appreciates a good roadmap and a good clear rule request.

John A. Hugie

John A. Hugie is a Tennessee licensed attorney who practices in Juvenile Dependency & Neglect and Juvenile and Adult Criminal Defense. John earned his undergraduate degree from Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Notre Dame Law School in Indiana. He competed in undergraduate Moot Court with the American Moot Court Association and was a national semi-finalist and top orator. For Notre Dame Law, John competed in both moot court and mock trial competitions, and was a multi-year member of the senior trial advocacy team. He also was a student advocate at the Notre Dame Legal Aid Clinic and a research assistant in New York State legal history.

John has served as a Guardian ad Litem for Juveniles in the Foster System as well as being a member of the Foster Care Review Board. He has been an assistant coach with CSULB since 2020.

John's favorite cases include those that involve Free Speech, Religious Liberty, and First Amendment issues.

Ryan Chapman

Ryan Chapman, a native of Long Beach, is an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) and former CSULB mooter. He graduated magna cum laude from Pepperdine University School of Law in May 2017, and was inducted into the Order of the Coif and Order of the Barristers. During his moot court career at CSULB, Ryan and his teammate Yasmin Manners advanced to two national sweet sixteens, finished second in the nation in written brief, and won the TUMCA Moot Court Tournament. In 2013, Ryan was named the 9th best oral advocate in the nation.

While in law school, Ryan gained extensive writing experience as a member of the Interschool Moot Court Team, as Lead Articles Editor of the Pepperdine Law Review, as Teaching Assistant for Legal Research and Writing, and as a member of Pepperdine's Ninth Circuit Appellate Advocacy Clinic. During his experience with the Clinic, Ryan successfully briefed and argued a pro bono appeal.

Before becoming an AUSA, Ryan clerked for the Honorable Ferdinand Fernandez of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and he held a prestigious two-year fellowship at the nation's largest appellate litigation firm Horvitz & Levy LLP.

Ryan Chapman loves to write and help others with their writing skills. While Ryan, by AMCA rules, can offer no direct comments on your briefs, he serves as CSULB’s Written Brief Coach and will provide general advice and guidance during the term.

Who Judges Moot Court?

Moot court judges can be most anyone who is familiar with the record and the law or the legal system. Judges are typically lawyers or in some cases law students. Many former mooters judge at events. Many tournaments feature judges and justices, and law school deans and faculty. Some judges are members of Inns of Court. The only restriction is that judges cannot be undergraduates. If you, or someone you know, might be interested in judging at future tournaments please contact Professor Ringel.

Videos to Watch:

Watch Ali Piane’s championship round in Loyola Law School’s Scott Moot Court Exhibition. She is the fourth speaker. Scott Moot Court Exhibition 04 13 2021 – YouTube

Watch CSULB’s Mindy Vo and Anna Sasaki’s successful championship round at the 2018 Hastings College of the Law National Moot Court Championship.

Watch videos of other past rounds, and find the rules for the National Written Brief Contest

CSULB finishes 4th out in the nation for 2023-24 in oral advocacy, 9th in petitioner written advocacy, and 2nd in respondent written brief!!Five National Titles: Two for Oral Advocacy and Three for Written Advocacy

Twenty-four National Written Brief Awards: Thirteen Top Five and Nine Top Ten
Sixteen National Top Orator Awards: Eleven Top Ten and Five Top Eleven-Twenty-five
Fifteen Regional Titles
Twenty-one Regional Finalists
Sixty-Four Titles: (Sixty-One for oral advocacy and three for written brief)
Forty-Two First Place Finishes in Tournaments, Classics and Invitationals for Oral Advocacy (more than two schools)
Nineteen First Place Finishes in Scrimmages (two schools)
One hundred and twenty-eight semi-finalists in tournaments, classics, and invitational competitions (does not include two school scrimmages) (as of 11/26/2024)

American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Written Advocacy National Champions, 2004, 2014, and 2021
American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Written Advocacy, National Runners-Up, 2013, 2017 and 2024
American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Written Advocacy, 3rd Place, 2020
American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Written Advocacy, 4th Place, 2016, 2018, 2022, and 2023
American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Written Advocacy, 5th Place 2016 (Tie) and 2023
American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Written Advocacy, 6th Place, 2017
American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Written Advocacy, 7th Place, 2011, 2012, 2015, and 2019
American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Written Advocacy, 8th Place, 2020
American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Written Advocacy, 9th Place, 2023 (two teams) and 2024
American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Written Advocacy, 10th Place, 2015, 2017, and 2019

American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Oral Advocacy National Champions, 2003 and 2022
American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Oral Advocacy National Finalist (2nd Place), 2014
American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Oral Advocacy National Semi-Finalists (3rd Place) (hybrid with Patrick Henry College), 2017 and (4th place) 2024
American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Oral Advocacy National Quarterfinalist (Tied for 5th place), 2019, 2021, and 2022 (two)
American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Orator Awards, 2003, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 (sixteen advocates: eleven top ten and five top twenty-five).
American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament Sweet 16, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 (twenty-two teams/three were hybrids with Patrick Henry College and two with the College of Wooster)

Frank Guliuzza Western Regional National Qualifier Champions, 2019, 2020, and 2022
Western Regional Tournament Champions, 2012, and 2014
Eastern Regional Champions, 2022.
Eastern Michigan University Regional Tournament Champions, 2020 and 2021
Midwest Regional Tournament Champions, 2020 and 2021
Windy City Regional Tournament Champions, 2018 and 2021
Upper Midwest Regional Tournament Champions, 2013, 2014, and 2016
Southern California Regional Runners-Up, 2023
Frank Guliuzza Western Regional National Qualifier Runners-Up, 2023
South Atlantic Regional Tournament Runners-Up, 2021
Atchafalaya Classic Regional Tournament Runners-Up, 2017 (hybrid with Patrick Henry College)
Upper Midwest Regional Tournament Runners-Up, 2015
Western Regional Runners-Up, 2003 and 2016 (hybrid with Patrick Henry College)
Atchafalaya Classic Regional Tournament Regional Tournament, Semi-Finalist, 2018
Windy City Regional Semi-Finalist, 2016, 2017, and 2019
Mid-Michigan Regional Semi-Finalist, 2022
Golden Gate Regional Semi-Finalist, 2023
Western Regional Semi-Finalist, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2018, and 2024 (seven total)
Eastern Regional Semi-Finalist, 2024

Atchafalaya Classic, Champions, 2016 (hybrid with Patrick Henry College)
Atchafalaya Classic, 3rd Place, 2016
Capitol Classic, 3rd Place, 2008
California Classic Undergraduate Moot Court Tournament Champions, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023
California Classic Undergraduate Moot Court Tournament Runners-Up, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2022, 2023, and 2024
California-Massachusetts Classic Moot Court Tournament Champions, 2014 and 2015
California-Texas Classic Moot Court Tournament Champions, 2013 and 2o20
College of the Holy Cross Moot Court Invitational Champions 2015 and 2017
College of the Holy Cross Moot Court Invitational Runners Up 2015 and 2022
College of the Holy Cross Moot Court Invitational 3rd Place 2019 and 2022
College of the Holy Cross Moot Court Invitational 4th Place 2017, 2019, and 2024
CSULB Fall Classic Tournament Champions, 2017, 2018, and 2019
CSULB Fall Classic Tournament Runners-Up, 2017
Falcon Classic Moot Court Tournament Champions, 2014, 2020, and 2023
Falcon Classic Moot Court Tournament 2nd Place, 2018, 2020, and 2023
Falcon Classic Moot Court Tournament 3rd Place, 2016, 2018 and 2023
Falcon Classic Moot Court Tournament 4th Place, 2018 and 2023
Fall Moot Court Classic, Champions, 2021 (with Morehouse College)
Fall Moot Court Classic, 3rd Place, 2021 (with Morehouse College)
Hastings College of Law National Moot Court Invitational Champions, 2018 and 2020
Hastings College of Law National Moot Court Invitational 4th Place, 2018
Long Beach (49er) Classic Fall Moot Court Tournament Champions, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
Long Beach (49er) Classic Spring Moot Court Tournament Champions, 2015
Rocky Mountain Invitational Champions, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023
Rocky Mountain Invitational Runner’s Up, 2018, 2021, and 2023
Rocky Mountain Invitational 3rd Place, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, and 2024
Rocky Mountain Invitational 4th Place, 2019, 2021, and 2023
South Texas College of Law Undergraduate Moot Court Tournament, 3rd Place, 2012
Southern Methodist University School of Law Undergraduate Moot Court Tournament 3rd Place (hybrid with UNT), 2016
Southern Methodist University School of Law Undergraduate Moot Court Tournament Runners-Up, 2013
Southern Methodist University School of Law Undergraduate Moot Court Tournament 3rd Place, 2013
Southern Methodist University School of Law Undergraduate Moot Court Tournament 4th Place, 2013
Southern Methodist University School of Law Undergraduate Moot Court Tournament, 2016 Semi-Finalist (hybrid with UNT)
Texas Undergraduate Moot Court Tournament Champions, 2012
UNT Dallas School of Law Undergraduate Moot Court Invitational 3rd Place, 2015

2023-24 Morgan Barragan and Ivonne Sotelo

2022-23 Jacquelene Zambrano

2021-22 Aleece Hanson, Vaishalee Chaudhary, and Marco Romero

2020-21 The Squad: Vaishalee Chaudhary, Aleece Hanson, Barry Klein, Alexis Liautaud, John Littles, Kelton Munch, Marco Romero, Celeste Sanchez, Georgina Tierney, and Jessica Zatarain

2019-20 Amanda Botelho

2018-19 Anna Sasaki and Jonah Zeko

2017-18 Mindy Vo

2016-17 Myles Chaney and Sarah Geesaman

2015-16 Justin Adofina and Julieta Hernandez

2014-15 Krist Biakanja, III and Kevin D. Poush

2013-14 Ashley Hall and Kyle Maury

For an Archive of Past News and Past Updates See Below:

CSULB earns a 4th bid to the AMCA’s National Championship!!!

Alexa Alvarez and Stevie De La Fuente reached the semi-finals at the Mid-Michigan Regional held in Lansing, MI. In doing so, they qualified for the American Moot Court Association national championship which will be held in Baton Rouge, LA. De La Fuente was voted the 3rd best orator.

CSULB POSC Moot Court - Mikayla Browne and Jocelyn Soto-Rivera

CSULB wins Speaker Awards at the Great Lakes Regional!!

Mikayla Browne and Jocelyn Soto-Rivera were voted the 2nd and 6th best orators at the Great Lakes Regional held in Saginaw, MI. Browne and Soto-Rivera advanced to the Sweet 16. A high-light of the trip was a visit with Coach Pat Dyson’s mother’s home for a home cooked meal.

CSULB POSC Moot Court -L-R: Zambrano and Jawanda

CSULB wins the 2022 Eastern Regional!!!

Ashley Harding and Jacquelene Zambrano won the 2022 Eastern Regional held in Fitchburg, MA. This is the first time CSULB has won the Eastern Regional and it is CSULB’s second regional title of the season. Harding and Zambrano (who was voted the 7th best orator) advance to the American Moot Court Association national championship. They will be joined by quarter-finalists Muskan Jawanda (who was voted the 2nd best orator) and Isabella Thompson. The Eastern Regional, AMCA largest, is one of the oldest and most prestigious of all regionals.

CSULB braves the cold in Ypsilanti, MI.

Grady Smith and Morgan Barragan advanced to the Sweet 16 at the EMU Regional held in Ypsilanti, MI. Barragan was voted the 4th best orator.

CSULB POSC Moot Court - From L-R: John Littles and Emma Nelson

CSULB wins 2022 Frank Guliuzza Western Regional Moot Court Qualifying Tournament!!!

Emma Nelson and John Littles won the 2022 Western Regional held in Fresno, CA. This marks the 5th Western Regional title for CSULB and the 11th straight season that CSULB has reached a regional final. The second longest streak in the nation. Nelson and Littles defeated a team from UC Santa Barbara in the finals. The team advances to the American Moot Court Association national championship which will be held in Baton Rouge, LA.

The competition is named for the most successful undergraduate moot court coach of all time the late Dr. Frank Guliuzza (1957-2019). Dr. Guliuzza was a long-time friend to many CSULB moot court alums. CSULB is honored to have brought the trophy to honor Dr. Guliuzza back to Long Beach the site of many of Dr. Gugliuzza’s teams’ successes as well as the site of many friendly battles between teams coached by Dr. Guliuzza and CSULB teams.

Moot Court is back in person

CSULB’s Mikayla Browne and Jocelyn Soto-Rivera won the 2022 49er Classic!! Their classmates, Muskan Jawanda and John Littles finished second. CSULB’s Grady Smith and Morgan Barragan and USAFA’s Mason Bammer and Claire Melton also qualified for the semi-finals. This is a bi-annual competition with USAFA. It is also an honor to host their terrific teams and CSULB looks foward to doing so again in 2024.

CSULB POSC Moot Court - L-R: Jacquelene Zambrano, Ashley Harding, Coach Ringel, Mikayla Brown, and Jocelyn Soto-Rivera

CSULB FINALLY got to travel again!!!

CSULB’s Alexa Alvarez and Stevie De La Fuente finished second at the 2022 College of the Holy Cross Moot Court Invitational in Worchester, MA. Their classmates, Emma Nelson and John Littles finished third. Ashley Harding and Jacquelene Zambrano and Jocelyn Soto-Rivera and Mikayla Brown qualified for the quarterfinals. During the trip, CSULB students visited a variety of locations in New England including the the Rhode Island State House and State Supreme Court and the campus of Brown University. This is a bi-annual trip and CSULB looks forward to visiting again in 2024.

CSULB POSC Moot Court - The 2022 squad and its coaches

CSULB defends its title in the Rocky Mountain Invitational

CSULB’s Mikayla Browne and Jocelyn Soto-Rivera won the 2022 Rocky Mountain Invitational. This is the 4th straight year in which CSULB has won this annual event. In addition to Browne and Soto-Rivera, CSULB’s Grady Smith, Morgan Barragan, Alexa Alvarez and Stevie De La Fuente qualified for the quarter-finals. CSULB had five top ten orators: Barragan (3rd), De La Fuente (4th), Muskan Jawanda and Grady Smith (T-5th), Soto-Rivera (8th), and Browne (10th).

CSULB’s Mikayla Browne and Jocelyn Soto-Rivera won the 2022 California Classic. They defeated CSULB’s Grady Smith and Emma Nelson in a round in front of five California jurists (California Court of Appeal Justices Lamar Baker and Dorothy Kim and R. Gary Hastings (ret.), Social Security Administration Judge John Tobin, and Superior Court Judge Maria Puente-Porras). CSULB’s Alexa Alvarez and Morgan Barragan also qualified for the semi-finals. Both teams in the finals had been undefeated until the final round. Browne was voted the top orator. CSULB’s Stevie De La Fuente was voted the number 3 orator. The top ten was rounded out by CSULB’s Barragan (4th), Nelson (6th), Soto-Rivera (7th), and Muskan Jawanda (10th).

2022 Nationals:

CSULB’s Vaishalee Chaudhary and Marco Romero win the AMCA National Championship for Appellate Advocacy!!!

Watch the Video of the Final Round Here: Final Round Videos — American Moot Court Association (amcamootcourt.org)

Appellate Advocacy:

For the second straight year, CSULB’s Moot Court Program has produced a national champion. Over the weekend of January 21-23, CSULB Seniors Vaishalee Chaudhary and Marco Romero won the American Moot Court Association’s (AMCA) Oral Advocacy National Championship. This is CSULB’s second national championship in oral advocacy. Only one other school has won more. CSULB is one of just two public universities to win a national title for oral advocacy in AMCA’s 22-year history and it is the only public university to qualify for more than one national final (three) and more than two national semi-finals (four). The competition, which was held on Zoom, featured 100 team from schools such as the University of Chicago, Yale University, Pennsylvania University, and UC Berkley. Chaudhary and Romero, the only team in AMCA history to win three regional tournaments, won five of five competitions in 2021-22 and went undefeated on the season. They graduate as the winningest team in CSULB history. Chaudhary and Romero defeated three teams from the University of Chicago, including one in the finals, one from traditional AMCA powerhouse Patrick Henry College, and their own teammates Kelton Munch and Georgina Tierney (quarter-finalists). CSULB’s Aleece Hanson and Celeste Sanchez also qualified for the quarter-finals. This gave CSULB three of the nation’s top 8 teams.

The final panel featured:

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Michael Burke, North Carolina Court of Appeals Justice Lucy Inman, California Court of Appeals Justice Lamar Baker, Maryland District Court Judge David Carey, and West Virginia Solicitor General Lindsay See

CSULB won three regionals for the season and earned six bids to nationals. CSULB’s Jessica Zatarain was named a top ten orator finishing 8^th in the nation.

Written Advocacy:

CSULB’s Vaishalee Chaudhary and Marco Romero finished 4^th in the nation in respondent written advocacy. This keeps CSULB’s streak of at least one brief in the top ten over the past twelve years alive!! Chaudhary and Romero also finished eighth in written brief in 2019-2020.

Read a tribute to the CSULB team in the Congressional Record: Congressional Record Extension of Remarks | Congress.gov | Library of Congress Go to Extensions of Remarks. E 93.

CSULB Earns Record 6th Bid:

On December 3-4, CSULB’s Emma Nelson and Jessica Zatarain earned a bid to the AMCA national championship by advancing to the quarter-finals of the Great Lakes Regional. This marks the first time in CSULB history that it has earned 6 bids to nationals. Zatarain (4th) and Nelson (t-10th) earned orator awards.

CSULB Defends Its Title as Eastern Michigan University Regional Moot Court Qualifying Tournament Champs!!!

On November 19-20, Aleece Hanson and Celeste Sanchez won the second ever Eastern Michigan University Regional Moot Court Qualifying Tournament. Hanson (1st) and Sanchez (3rd) both were awarded orator awards. CSULB defeated the same team from Patrick Henry College the finals as it did in 2020. The final panel included the Solicitor General of West Virginia, Lindsay See, and Judge John Tobin. This is the second time in CSULB history that it has won three regionals in a single season. The other time was 2020.

CSULB-College of Wooster Hybrid Team Defends Its Title as Midwest Regional Moot Court Qualifying Tournament Champs!!!

On November 19-20, Georgina Tierney (College of Wooster) and Kelton Munch (CSULB) defended their title as the Midwest Regional Moot Court Qualifying Tournament Champs. The Midwest Regional is one of the oldest and most storied of undergraduate regionals. It was just the second time that a student from CSULB had competed in the Midwest Regional. Tierney (5th) and Munch (7th) both were awarded orator awards. Tierney and Munch, who have never met face-to-face, defeated a team from Patrick Henry College in the finals. Munch is just the second mooter in AMCA history to compete in multiple regionals without ever losing a round — the other being CSULB’s Kevin Poush.

CSULB Earns Bid at Eastern Regional!!!

On November 19-20, Jake Hill and John Littles earned a bid to the AMCA national championship by finishing among the top 8 of the Eastern Regional. Over 50 teams competed. The Eastern Regional is one of the oldest and most storied of undergraduate regionals. It was the first time that a student from CSULB had competed in the Eastern Regional. Hill and Littles beat a team from USC to claim their bid to the national championship.

CSULB Wins Windy City Regional!!!

On November 12-13, CSULB won the Windy City Regional. Vaishalee Chaudhary and Marco Romero defeated the University of Chicago in the finals. In doing so, Chaudhary and Romero become the first team in the history of the American Moot Court Association to win three regional titles. This marks the 2nd Windy City title for CSULB and the 10th straight season that CSULB has reached a regional finals. The second longest streak in the nation. Romero (4th) and Chaudhary (5th) were both awarded orator awards.

CSULB Runners-Up at South Atlantic Regional!!!

On November 13-14, CSULB finished second in the South Atlantic Regional. Kamra Jackson and Jocelyn Soto-Rivera, the last seeded team to advance to elimination rounds, reeled off three straight upset wins before falling to a team from Cal Berkeley. Along the way, they defeated two defending regional champions (including the 2020 champ of the South Atlantic Regional) both of which had finished among the Sweet 16 at the 2020 AMCA national championship tournament. Jackson (2nd) and Soto-Rivera (17th) were both awarded orator awards.

CSULB wins the 2021 11th Annual California Classic

CSULB’s Jessica Zatarain and Nichole Athanitis won the 11th Annual California Classic. This was the first California Classic to be held on Zoom. It was the 10th California Classic title in CSULB history and the 7th in a row. Zatarain and Athanitis dominated from start to finish winning 20 of 20 ballots. CSULB’s Aleece Hanson and Ryan Marden finished third. Hanson was named the top orator with a 380/400 average. Kellie Sala, Marden, and Zatarain were also named top ten orators.

A Season to Remember — one of “Unfinished Business” and “Squads” — ends with a National Championship in Written Brief

A most unusual (and successful) moot court season has ended. Competing entirely on Zoom and through emailed PDFs CSULB had a historic season — one that culminated in seven wins in oral advocacy and a national title for written advocacy. The camaraderie and bonds that were built over Zoom that stretched as far as Ohio were extraordinary. The squad proved what can happen when everyone works for one common purpose and pulls the same end of the rope in the same direction.

Written Advocacy:

Aleece Hanson and Barry Klein won the national championship for written respondent brief advocacy. For Klein this was his second top three finish and first national title. Overall, CSULB has won the national written brief title three times — third most in AMCA history. It has finished second twice.

Oral Advocacy:

Teams from CSULB, including one comprised of a student from the College of Wooster, won seven competitions. This included three regionals.

At the AMCA National Championship the team of Vaishalee Chaudhary and Marco Romero advanced to the quarter-finals/elite 8 and finished fifth in the nation. They closed the season with an extraordinary record of 40 wins and 2 defeats. The best in CSULB history. They become the fifth team in CSULB history to advance to the national quarter-finals and the fourth team to advance to multiple national sweet sixteens. They became the second CSULB team to successfully defend a regional title.

Regional Champs Georgina Tierney and Kelton Munch and Aleece Hanson and Barry Klein and Regional Quarter-Finalists Alexis Liautaud and Jessica Zatarain all advanced to the second elimination round before being defeated. This marks the first time in CSULB history that all of its teams made it to the second elimination round. Munch was named the 15th orator in the nation and seven of the squad’s mooters posted averages of a 360 or better (360/400 is an A).

CSULB DEFENDS its title at the Frank Guliuzza Western Regional Moot Court Qualifying Tournament!!!

Vaishalee Chaudhary and Marco Romero repeated at champions at the 2020 Western Regional. This marks the 4th Western Regional title for CSULB and the 9th straight season that CSULB has reached a regional finals. The second longest streak in the nation. Chaudhary and Romero both were awarded orator awards. Chaudhary and Romero defeated a team from UCSB in the finals.

CSULB Wins the Eastern Michigan University Regional Moot Court Qualifying Tournament!!!

Aleece Hanson and Barry Klein won the first ever Eastern Michigan University Regional Moot Court Qualifying Tournament. This is the second time in CSULB history that it has won multiple regionals — the last time being in 2014 — and the third time in CSULB history that it placed teams in multiple regional finals. Hanson and Klein both were awarded orator awards. Hanson and Klein defeated teams from Patrick Henry College in the semis and the finals.

CSULB-College of Wooster Hybrid Team Wins the Midwest Regional Moot Court Qualifying Tournament!!!

Georgina Tierney (College of Wooster) and Kelton Munch (CSULB) won the Midwest Regional Moot Court Qualifying Tournament. The Midwest Regional is one of the oldest and most storied of undergraduate regionals. It was the first time that a student from CSULB had competed in the Midwest Regional. This is the first time in CSULB history that it has won three regionals in a single season. Tierney and Munch both were awarded orator awards. Tierney and Munch, who have never met face-to-face, defeated a team from the College of Wooster in the finals.

CSULB wins the 2020 Hastings College of Law Moot Court Invitational!!!

From L to R: Aleece Hanson, Alexis Liautaud, Barry Klein, Vaishalee Chaudhary, Judy Hails (assistant coach), Marco Romero, and Lewis Ringel (head coach).

Vaishalee Chaudhary and Marco Romero won the 2020 Hastings College of Law Moot Court Invitational in a thrilling 3-2 round over a terrific team from the University of North Texas. Chaudhary (4th) and Romero (2nd) won top orator awards for preliminary rounds. Romero won the David Casarrubias Scholarship Awarded to the top orator of the final round. Casarrubias is an alum of both Hastings College of Law and CSULB. Aleece Hanson and Alexis Liautaud finished in 5th place.

Watch Vaishalee Chaudhary and Marco Romer’s successful championship round at the 2020 Hastings College of the Law National Moot Court Championship.

From L to R: Amanda Botelho, Professor Lewis Ringel, and Barry Klein.

CSULB finishes third in the Nation in Respondent Written Brief and tied for 9th in the nation in oral advocacy!!!

This January, Moot Court teams competed in the National Moot Court tournament in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Vaishalee Chaudhary and Marco Romero advanced to the national sweet 16 and finished tied for 9th in the nation in oral advocacy and 8th in the nation in written petitioner advocacy. Amanda Botelho and Barry Klein finished 3rd in the nation in written respondent advocacy. Ms. Botelho was voted the 12th best orator in the nation. This is the tenth consecutive season that CSULB has placed a team in the Sweet 16 of the American Moot Court Association’s National Championship and the tenth consecutive season that CSULB has finished in the top ten of the national written brief championship. CSULB is the only program in the nation to have earned both distinctions in ten consecutive seasons.

From L to R: Professor Lewis Ringel (Head Coach) Marco Romero, Vaishalee Chaudhary, and Pat Dyson (Assistant Coach)

CSULB wins the Frank Guliuzza Western Regional Moot Court Qualifying Tournament!!!

Vaishalee Chaudhary and Marco Romero won the 2019 Western Regional. This marks the 3rd Western Regional title for CSULB and the 8th straight season that CSULB has reached a regional finals. The second longest streak in the nation. Chaudhary was named the 5th best orator. Chaudhary and Romero defeated a team from Patrick Henry College in the finals. The team advances to the American Moot Court Association national championship which will be held in Baton Rouge, LA.

The competition was recently renamed for the most successful undergraduate moot court coach of all time the late Dr. Frank Guliuzza (1957-2019). Dr. Guliuzza was a long-time friend to many CSULB moot court alums. CSULB is honored to have brought the first trophy to honor Dr. Guliuzza back to Long Beach the site of many of Dr. Guliuzza’s teams successes as well as the site of many friendly battles between teams coached by Dr. Guliuzza and CSULB teams.

NEWS FROM THE 2019 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP:

CSULB’s Marissa Rael and Chris Heffernan and Anna Sasaki and Jonah Zeko finished tied for 5th and tied for 9th in the nation respectively in team oral advocacy. Rael and Heffernan, the 74th seeded team out of 80, were the fourth team in CSULB history to advance as far as the national quarter-finals. This is the ninth straight season that CSULB has advanced to the national sweet-sixteen and the third time it had advanced two teams that far. All four teams (Sasaki and Zeko, Gabriella Passeri and Diego Magana, Nicole Opendo and Amanda Botelho, and Rael and Heffernan advanced to elimination rounds. Magana and Heffernan finished 11th and 21st in individual oral advocacy respectively. Nicole Opendo and Amanda Botelho and Sasaki and Zeko finished 7th and 10th in the nation in written advocacy (respondent). This is the ninth straight season that CSULB has placed a team in the top ten of the national written brief competition.

Thanks to everyone else who has supported and continues to support our Moot Court program. A special word of appreciation to the Joseph Ball/Clarence Hunt/Vern Schooley Inn of Court of Long Beach, this includes the late Governor George Deukmejian, and our many supporters in the Long Beach Bar Association who have donated their time to judge and/or recruit justices for our competitions. Thanks to the Offices of the President and the Provost and the College of Liberal Arts. Thanks to Professor Amy Cabrera Rasmussen and Ty Yim and Amy Aguilar of the Department of Political Science. Thanks to those jurists who have devoted their time to judging rounds — especially Justices Lamar Baker, Gary Hastings, Dorothy Kim, Judge John Tobin, and Commissioner Angela Villegas. A special thanks to Carmen Longoria Green as well as to our very devoted alumni who have helped through the years as coaches and/or judges including but not limited to Tim Appelbaum, Nichole Athanitis, Amanda Botelho, Myles Chaney, Jillian Ewan, Chris Heffernan, Kamra Jackson, Yasmin Manners, Kelton Munch, Ali Piane, Celeste Sanchez, Georgina Tierney, Mindy Vo, Jacqueline Zambrano, and Jonah Zeko. A special thanks those who have supported moot court through financial donations — especially Beverly August and the late George August and Gail Hutton, and the members of the Moot Court Alumni Advisory Board: Judge Norman Delaterre, David Casarrubias-Gonzalez, Andrew Klein, Ted McNamara, Mindy Vo, and Dillon Westfall.

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CSULB earns a 4th bid to the AMCA’s National Championship!!!

CSULB wins Speaker Awards at the Great Lakes Regional!!

CSULB wins the 2022 Eastern Regional!!!

CSULB braves the cold in Ypsilanti, MI.

CSULB wins 2022 Frank Guliuzza Western Regional Moot Court Qualifying Tournament!!!

Moot Court is back in person

CSULB FINALLY got to travel again!!!

CSULB defends its title in the Rocky Mountain Invitational

2022 Nationals:

CSULB’s Vaishalee Chaudhary and Marco Romero win the AMCA National Championship for Appellate Advocacy!!!

CSULB Earns Record 6th Bid:

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CSULB Political Science Archive

Fall 2022 Update

CSULB earns a 4th bid to the AMCA’s National Championship!!!

CSULB wins Speaker Awards at the Great Lakes Regional!!

CSULB wins the 2022 Eastern Regional!!!

CSULB braves the cold in Ypsilanti, MI.

CSULB wins 2022 Frank Guliuzza Western Regional Moot Court Qualifying Tournament!!!

Moot Court is back in person

CSULB FINALLY got to travel again!!!

CSULB defends its title in the Rocky Mountain Invitational

Spring 2022 Update

2021-2022 Season Update

2022 Nationals:

CSULB’s Vaishalee Chaudhary and Marco Romero win the AMCA National Championship for Appellate Advocacy!!!

Fall 2021

CSULB Earns Record 6th Bid:

Spring 2021

2019-2020 Season Wrap-Up

News from the 2019-20 Season